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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations (Income $30-$48k)

241 Ranked Colleges
9,312 Degrees Awarded
$6,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $30-$48k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

International Relations is the 54th most popular major in the country with 13,616 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 9,312 international relations graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 241 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in international relations. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent international relations programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the international relations program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations (Income $30-$48k)

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Stanford, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 42 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

Stanford also made our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford University is $1,145 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Stanford International Relations Report

#2

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#4 in overall quality

Out of the 241 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pennsylvania landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 44 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

UPenn not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $4,833 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Pennsylvania.

The low student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about International Relations at University of Pennsylvania

#3

Yale University

New Haven, Connecticut
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Yale University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Yale is located in New Haven, Connecticut and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 48 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Yale also took the #3 spot in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Yale is $1,647 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Yale International Relations Report

#4

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#10 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Northwestern University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 37 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $3,995 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Northwestern University.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Northwestern International Relations Report

#5

Brown University

Providence, Rhode Island
#13 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Brown University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Providence, Rhode Island is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 79 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k list, Brown has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Brown University is $6,684 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Brown University International Relations Report

#6

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland
#5 in overall quality

Johns Hopkins University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Baltimore, Maryland, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 100 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

Johns Hopkins did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Johns Hopkins University is $8,210 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about International Relations at Johns Hopkins University

#7

Pomona College

Claremont, California
#6 in overall quality

Pomona College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Pomona is a small school located in Claremont, California that handed out 24 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Pomona did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Pomona College is $8,655 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full Pomona International Relations Report

#8

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#25 in overall quality

Washington University in St Louis did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. WUSTL is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

WUSTL also took the #25 spot in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $6,248 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend WUSTL.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Washington University in St Louis International Relations Report

#9

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

University of Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. University of Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k list, UChicago has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UChicago is $2,800 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full UChicago International Relations Report

#10

Claremont McKenna College

Claremont, California
#2 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, Claremont McKenna College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Claremont, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 21 students in 2019-2020.

Claremont McKenna also made our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend Claremont McKenna is $6,591 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on International Relations at Claremont McKenna College

#11

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts
#8 in overall quality

Tufts University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Medford, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 160 students in 2019-2020.

Tufts not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Tufts University is $6,516 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about International Relations at Tufts University

#12

Middlebury College

Middlebury, Vermont
#12 in overall quality

Middlebury College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Middlebury College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Middlebury, Vermont. The school has a small population, and it awarded 31 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k list, Middlebury has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $8,616 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Middlebury.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on International Relations at Middlebury

#13

Colgate University

Hamilton, New York
#14 in overall quality

Colgate University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Colgate is a private not-for-profit institution located in Hamilton, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 41 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Colgate did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Colgate University is $8,958 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on International Relations at Colgate University

#14

Georgetown University

Washington, District of Columbia
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, Georgetown University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Georgetown is located in Washington, District of Columbia and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 251 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Georgetown not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Georgetown University is $8,678 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Georgetown University International Relations Report

#15

Hamilton College

Clinton, New York
#24 in overall quality

Hamilton College landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Hamilton is a private not-for-profit institution located in Clinton, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Hamilton, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $11,385 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Hamilton.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on International Relations at Hamilton

#16

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia
#23 in overall quality

William & Mary landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Williamsburg, Virginia, and it awarded 88 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

William & Mary also took the #23 spot in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend William & Mary is $4,963 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations at William & Mary

#17

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia
#11 in overall quality

University of Virginia - Main Campus landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Virginia - Main Campus is a large school located in Charlottesville, Virginia that handed out 270 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Virginia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus is $11,696 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about International Relations at University of Virginia

#18

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts
#20 in overall quality

Wellesley College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Wellesley, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.

Wellesley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Wellesley is $4,519 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations at Wellesley

#19

Emory University

Atlanta, Georgia
#22 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, Emory University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and it awarded 53 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Emory not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Emory is $9,629 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations at Emory

#20

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts
Top 15% in overall quality

Northeastern University landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 78 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

Northeastern also claimed a top spot on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. It costs about $12,823 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Northeastern University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Northeastern International Relations Report

#21

The City College of New York

New York, New York

The City College of New York ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. CCNY is a fairly large school located in New York, New York that handed out 77 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for CCNY is $2,947 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about International Relations at The City College of New York

With a ranking of #22, Florida International University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. FIU is located in Miami, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 288 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Florida International University is $6,683 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read full report on International Relations at Florida International University

#23

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida
Top 25% in overall quality

Florida State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #23. Florida State University is located in Tallahassee, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 364 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Florida State is $6,816 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Florida State University International Relations Report

#24

Lafayette College

Easton, Pennsylvania
#16 in overall quality

Lafayette College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Easton, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 48 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lafayette, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $11,360 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Lafayette College.

The low student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read full report on International Relations at Lafayette College

#25

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Indiana University - Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 96 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Bloomington is $6,192 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations at IU Bloomington

Rest of the Best 37 in Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

Not only did these schools make the top 37 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#26

The University of West Florida

Pensacola, Florida
#30

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts
#31

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
#32

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#33

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia
#34

Dickinson College

Carlisle, Pennsylvania
#35

Carleton College

Northfield, Minnesota

Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to RepubFan12.

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